Anyone have one? What's your opinion on it? Well I have one and like it ok but I need to get some sort of hay fork/pallet fork on the front. It has the quick disconnect bucket and I wanted to build my own forks but might be more difficult than it is worth. If I could find just the quick attach portion and then build my own forks on it that would be ok to. Anyone know if they quick disconnect bucket is compatible with any other brands? I don't like the strap on stuff.
ALO Loader
- Thread starter anghere
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
I have used ALO and like them - ALO dealers can help you with what you need.
You did not indicate where you are located - try this for further info.
Alo USA Inc.
Union Cross Business Park
125 Business Park Dr.
Winston Salem, NC, 27017
Phone: 1.877.562.3371
Email: [email protected]
Bez
You did not indicate where you are located - try this for further info.
Alo USA Inc.
Union Cross Business Park
125 Business Park Dr.
Winston Salem, NC, 27017
Phone: 1.877.562.3371
Email: [email protected]
Bez
eric
Well-known member
I took my bucket off a couple yrs ago and made a large plate (3/4") and welded some sleeves on it where the tractor loader arms attatch. It fits right where the bucket mounts up to. I then drilled some holes for arms to use to pick up round bales with. Then I machined down the top and bottom edges and bought a couple used forks and use them on the plate when the round bale arms arent installed. I did this 2-3 yrs ago and never put my bucket back on. I've found I needed a forklift and bale mover alot more than I need a bucket.
Any machine shop in your area could do this for you for a couple hundred bucks.
Any machine shop in your area could do this for you for a couple hundred bucks.
Thanks guys. I sure would like to see a picture of the one you made. I like to make my own stuff. I am currently building a 3-point sprayer. Just picked up the pto pump today. It will have swing down booms.
At any rate, I guess I need to take the bucket off and see what I have to work with. I did contact a ALO rep on the web and they couldn't help me. I guess I just need to get my hands on some 3/4 inch steel and get to work. Thanks again.
At any rate, I guess I need to take the bucket off and see what I have to work with. I did contact a ALO rep on the web and they couldn't help me. I guess I just need to get my hands on some 3/4 inch steel and get to work. Thanks again.
TXBobcat
Well-known member
I'd like to see a picture of the hay fork you built for the front also.
I am planning to build a hay fork for the rear, attaching to the 3 pt hitch, modeled from my neighbors. I would also like one on the front. I had thought about building something that attaches to the front of the bucket, but I'm thinking that would be too much weight on the front if I had it sticking way out there.
I am planning to build a hay fork for the rear, attaching to the 3 pt hitch, modeled from my neighbors. I would also like one on the front. I had thought about building something that attaches to the front of the bucket, but I'm thinking that would be too much weight on the front if I had it sticking way out there.
TXBobcat":25qy2a5e said:
I built one for the back out of 3x3 square tubing, and a set of pallet arms off of a forklift. It is a three point hook up for the back and 4-point for the front. It works well on my other tractor. It does not have the quick disconnect loader. Just a plain old loader. I did have to build some brackets for the arms on the loader to accept the forks though. I use the standard bottom pins and then two top pins. I spaced them the same distance as they were on the bucket for these brackets. I carry a 12-1500 pound bale on the front and one on the back also. With just one on the front it is ok but I don't go very fast with just the one on it. I will try to get some pictures and post them next week for you.
eric
Well-known member
Sry to just now get back to this guys.
What I did was take a piece of 3/4" plate, the same dimensions as the back side of bucket ( about 18" x 60" ?) or so. I then formed up some U channels from 1/4" flat material, about 12" long, with the i d of the channel just a little larger than the clevis of my loader arms. Then I drilled some 1" holes for the loader pins,and also welded some short (1/2" long) bushings on each side of the channel to give it some more support then the 1/4" channel would allow, and then welded these 2 channels to the back of the plate vertically. I welded some 3x3x1/4" angle iron at the top and bottom of the plate, between the channels, again just copying the design of my loader bucket. I had to make some longer pins out of some 1" shafting, but then I also cut snap ring grooves to hold the pins in and drilled grease holes and fittings in the pins to allow me to grease the pins and the loader fittings and the channel.
Before I installed the plate on the loader arms, I drilled a 2" hole about 4 inches from the top, right in the center (from rt to left), then I drilled two 1 1/4" holes about 4 inches from the bottom, about 30" apart. These were for my bale spears. I then made some spears on my lathe, from 2 1/2" 4140 and machined a point on one end and turned the other end down to fit through the 2" hole in the plate, and cut threads on the shaft (spear) for a 2" nut. I then did the same thing for the other holes, using 1 1/2" shafting and cutting 1 1/4" threads on the other end, opposite the point. I slide the spears through the holes and put on some big washers and big nuts, and it's worked great so far! Knock on wood!!
As far as the forks, I picked up some old forks from a forklift dealer we do some work for, and machined the top and bottom of the plate to fit the forks, The forks had a cap welded on top of them to keep them from falling forward and falling off the forklift mast. The gap between the fork and the welded cap on top was just over 5/8", so I had to mill the top and bottom edges of my plate to allow the forks to slide onto the plate. It really sounds alot more complicated than it was.
Granted, owning a big machine shop enabled me to do these things, but if you bought the materials and did the welding yourself, there probably wasnt 4-5 hrs machine shop work involved. I knocked it out in a couple evenings. 4-5 hrs machine shop work = about $200 And if you get your forks first, then you could just buy a plate that allows the forks to slide on it, thereby knocking off most of the machine work. The plate for the bale spears was mostly just welding, other than
making the spears (3 spears in about an hr) and the bushings. So the bale spear part could be done for about $100 if you had access to a large plate and a cutting torch.
My wife has a digital camera, so I'll see if we can get a couple pics on here. I cant post them, but I can send them to TxAg or CertHerf and they know how to post pics.
What I did was take a piece of 3/4" plate, the same dimensions as the back side of bucket ( about 18" x 60" ?) or so. I then formed up some U channels from 1/4" flat material, about 12" long, with the i d of the channel just a little larger than the clevis of my loader arms. Then I drilled some 1" holes for the loader pins,and also welded some short (1/2" long) bushings on each side of the channel to give it some more support then the 1/4" channel would allow, and then welded these 2 channels to the back of the plate vertically. I welded some 3x3x1/4" angle iron at the top and bottom of the plate, between the channels, again just copying the design of my loader bucket. I had to make some longer pins out of some 1" shafting, but then I also cut snap ring grooves to hold the pins in and drilled grease holes and fittings in the pins to allow me to grease the pins and the loader fittings and the channel.
Before I installed the plate on the loader arms, I drilled a 2" hole about 4 inches from the top, right in the center (from rt to left), then I drilled two 1 1/4" holes about 4 inches from the bottom, about 30" apart. These were for my bale spears. I then made some spears on my lathe, from 2 1/2" 4140 and machined a point on one end and turned the other end down to fit through the 2" hole in the plate, and cut threads on the shaft (spear) for a 2" nut. I then did the same thing for the other holes, using 1 1/2" shafting and cutting 1 1/4" threads on the other end, opposite the point. I slide the spears through the holes and put on some big washers and big nuts, and it's worked great so far! Knock on wood!!
As far as the forks, I picked up some old forks from a forklift dealer we do some work for, and machined the top and bottom of the plate to fit the forks, The forks had a cap welded on top of them to keep them from falling forward and falling off the forklift mast. The gap between the fork and the welded cap on top was just over 5/8", so I had to mill the top and bottom edges of my plate to allow the forks to slide onto the plate. It really sounds alot more complicated than it was.
Granted, owning a big machine shop enabled me to do these things, but if you bought the materials and did the welding yourself, there probably wasnt 4-5 hrs machine shop work involved. I knocked it out in a couple evenings. 4-5 hrs machine shop work = about $200 And if you get your forks first, then you could just buy a plate that allows the forks to slide on it, thereby knocking off most of the machine work. The plate for the bale spears was mostly just welding, other than
making the spears (3 spears in about an hr) and the bushings. So the bale spear part could be done for about $100 if you had access to a large plate and a cutting torch.
My wife has a digital camera, so I'll see if we can get a couple pics on here. I cant post them, but I can send them to TxAg or CertHerf and they know how to post pics.
We made our own forks and just ordered the mounting brackets from our Alo dealer they come already mounted on flat that you simply weld to whatever implement you want to mount on your loader. Cheap and simple. They also sell the pallet/bale fork. They are great loaders with tons of attachments. A bit pricey but you always pay for quality,convenience and resale.
http://quicke.alo.it-norr.com/default.asp?id=1397
http://quicke.alo.it-norr.com/default.asp?id=1397
amazed":1ogjiwkq said:
Thanks, I looked at the link above and saw some pallet forks I think will work well for my large bales. I don't have an ALO dealer anywhere near me though. I guess I will see if I can find someone on the WEB who can quote it for me.
Also for those wanting the pictures of the mounts I made for my other tractor, I haven't gotten the pictures yet. I completely forgot about it. I will get them though...
Pharmerboy
New member
Don't Like them. Made in Sweden and they aren't made right. They dont even put the grease nipples on the outside of the loader..it's a real bitch to grease them. the buckets are poorly made...way to weak. If you want to put a bunch of swedes to work and nobody here just go ahead and buy one . Youlll see I am right
Sorry Pharmerboy, I already have one. It came with the tractor. Has grease fittings everywhere. The bucket has a hook on it for attaching a chain. I have lifted some pretty big tree trunks with it and the bucket does not give much unlike my Ford loader bucket. Maybe they have changed since your experience? At any rate I just need to build some hay forks for it.
